A workspace for those with Saturn conjunct Neptune

Were you born sometime between 1951 and 1953, while Saturn was intermittently within an 8° range of a conjunction to Neptune? (For most of you, both Saturn and Neptune are in the sign Libra, but for some Saturn is in Scorpio, though still within 8° of Neptune in Libra.) Continue Reading »

Hi, Folks, a quick note to let you know about an article I just posted on Skywriter that you may find interesting. I’m finishing a workbook for stellium holders called The Stellium Tool Kit, and the example chart I’ve been using is that of newsmaker, Taylor Swift, the country singer. I chose her because she has a stellium of four planets in Capricorn on her Ascendant–among them are Neptune and Saturn, closely conjunct.

Long story short, I wound up also reviewing the charts of JFK, Sr. and Marilyn Monroe, both born with prominent Neptune-Saturn aspects. JKF was born in the 1920s during the Neptune-Saturn conjunction just before yours, and Taylor Swift was born during the Neptune-Saturn conjuction just after yours.

I just got an email from Leisa Schaim about the blog she and Chris Brennan (both active in the Assocation for Young Astrologers) have going, aptly named Saturnreturnstories.com. It has stories about newmakers as well as accounts from people like yourselves about what’s happening during their Saturn returns. While most of them concern first Saturn returns, part of the healing journey for people on this blog has come through recalling what happened during the first return and seeing how some of the same themes come up again at the second, but how the growth spurred by the first return has helped. Maybe reading the stories on their blog will refresh your memory.

And, may I also say that even though my second Saturn return is in the distant past, I am so glad that you who have shared your stories here have gained insight and comfort from each other. Best regards to you all, Donna Cunningham.

As Saturn trudged through the place in the sky where it had been the day I was born ( for the last time in 30 years) I received heart breaking news. My husband of 33 years (now 34) was diagnosed with a very nasty kind of cancer. He had a 20% chance of surviving for 1 year. That’s about as bad as it gets.

What, how could that be? I had my life all set; I was going to retire, he, the healthy one, was going to work for a few more years to support me; I was going to start being a full time painter. Foolish humans, always making plans as if they were in charge. That was just one of the new lessons. We are NOT in charge. I told my coworkers my retirement was off as I sped off to one doctor appointment after another.

As the days went by he had chemo, followed by a botched surgery and another, and I learned what Saturn in the 6th house really meant. It means service. Not service with a smile, not service with a pat on the back, not service because you like it, just service. No arguments, no reasoning, no bargaining. You just put one foot down after the other, put your head down and do it. There is no payment for service, just the act itself.

But in the past, I could bargain for my fair share of service, I complained, I whined, I blustered, and sometimes I cheated.. and it worked! Why isn’t it working now?? well, for starters, resentments make me sick. (oh, that Saturn in the 6th house again!!!). And who was I cheating, complaining to? Uh, my husband languishing in the hospital?

I had to throw away “It’s not fair!” right away. Because well, my Saturn IS in Libra, isn’t it?? I know ALL about fair. I always have, from the time I was born. I believe that is a Saturn in Libra thing. But service isn’t fair. Life isn’t fair.

You just DO. You DO because you must do. Quiet your heart and your mind. Serve. People say “Oh you are so strong!” Because with Saturn in Libra, you are the exalted servant, whether you are really strong or not. You do your job, you take care of your home, you advocate for your spouse, you pay the bills. You learn what is needed and you do all that is humanly possible. You quickly learn what is unimportant.

But I made plans!! What about my plans? At work things got busier. My boss started giving me more responsibility. I could see that I could have more career, even though before I didn’t think it was possible at all. Then this February, we discovered that the cancer was not relenting. It took me another month before I understood just what we were facing. And I decided to retire for a new reason. So that I could be with my husband for the short time he had. I retired. Today is day number 6. Life is good. Life is hard. But I made the right choice.

With inexorable Saturn in the 6th house, I know that to continue to be the exalted servant, I must eat well, I must sleep well, I must exercise. I must let go of resentments and expectations, (an ongoing process, believe me!).

I must take care of this servant body so I can continue to serve. And the payoff? I will continue to be healthy, I am happier with myself, and I have a wonderful loving family that can continue to function because of my health and my supposed strength.

that’s a bit of serenity I did not expect.

In a few months, Saturn will leave my 6th house and enter my 7th. To me, that is such good news. It gives me hope that my husband will still be alive.

In response to a reader’s question, here’s how I would explain the three Saturn returns – each is the culmination of a stage of maturation, focused in the areas of life represented by the house Saturn is placed in natally and by natal Saturn’s aspects. Saturn represents important roles we play, like parent, spouse, boss, or teacher, and so the return may focus on adjusting to those roles. It is also a mini life review, an interval in which we ask ourselves and are asked by our surroundings,” how am I doing?” Continue Reading »

Every one of us that shares the experience of their Saturn return here helps the rest of us, as we peer into each other’s dark mirrors to find ourselves. While I find the people with approximately the same signs in houses more fascinating, I can learn something from most of you as you post about your experiences.

I have Saturn in the 6th house, the house of service, cats (small pets) and health. 30 odd years ago, I found myself feeling totally overwhelmed, with a full time job, an out of control husband, and two little tiny kids. I was the full time parent, and I had a menial job too that required me 40 hours a week.

My health was a mess, I had not done anything more physical than chase those kids around for 3 or 4 years, so my resistance was low and I was always tired. It took me years to climb out of that hole. I was almost 50 when Saturn was trining my native Saturn when I realized that if I didn’t change my ways I would be in serious trouble soon. I was going to a chiropractor at the time, and he would adjust me and I would go home and fall out of adjustment! He could put my bones back, but my muscles were too weak to hold stuff where it belonged. I knew I had to do something different.

So I pursued an exercise program in fits and starts and gradually built a new healthy body and an exercise ethic that seems to be sticking with me.

An old astrologer once told me that the cosmos continues to give you opportunities to change throughout your life. I think I got with the program just in time.

So when Saturn return came along again, here I was with about 16 pounds of muscle mass that I didn’t have before, an understanding of posture, balance, and lots of other details about health that I was missing before; and I still had issues. I HAVE issues. But I know the ropes now. I know what to do.

This Saturn return I was kind of excited because I also was having Jupiter return. In the past, my Jupiter returns have been a lot of fun, but this one sure wasn’t. Saturn hosed the whole thing down with cold water. So it hasn’t really been fun.

My out of control husband has turned into my dearest friend, but for this Saturn return, we discovered that he has something else out of control, cancer. And it’s scary. Along with me he has been pursuing health by diet and exercise and life style, but of course, life’s not fair, we are learning, it’s not always enough to do everything right, but it helps.

Since it’s not over yet, I will not say anything else, but do tell me how yours is different than the last time. And be sure to tell us where your Saturn is in your chart so we know what page you’re on.

Note: Second Saturn Return members are invited to share and post their Saturn return stories so we can all learn from each other. Ineke has studied astrology for a long time, but that’s not a requirement for posting here.

My first Saturn Return also coincided with Transiting Neptune conj my Natal Sun/Mercury. Much later I did an astrological assignment on the first return and had writings and diaries to sort thru what happened. Saturn came close to my Saturn at the beginning of that year and only one pass in the October. The Saturn Return chart (13 Oct 1981) has Saturn in the 9th conjunct Sun in 9th conj Jupiter on MC and Pluto in 10th plus opposition Moon in Aries in the 3rd. Continue Reading »

So where is your natal Saturn? Mine is in the 6th house, house of pets, health and service. I’d love to know where yours is. Below are some very brief descriptions of Saturn in the houses, added just to whet your interests. Continue Reading »